Smashing! Sales of instant mash potato soar with Tesco selling one million more packs in 2023 alone as shoppers look to save time and money during cost of living crisis
Pre-made mashed potato sales soared last year as shoppers looked to save time and money amid the cost of living crisis.
With rising food costs and more workers returning to the office, Tesco said its shoppers bought one million more packs of fresh ready-made mash in 2023 than in 2022.
The supermarket is so overwhelmed by demand it is opening a new multi-million-pound mash factory.
The chain said demand for fresh mash had started to rise shortly before the pandemic, but whole potatoes were more popular in lockdown when Brits had more time to cook from scratch.
However, as lockdown ended and more people returned to work, sales of fresh ready-made mash began to rise again.
With rising food costs and more workers returning to the office, Tesco said its shoppers bought one million more packs of fresh ready-made mash in 2023 than in 2022
The supermarket is opening a new factory near Lincoln, creating 80 jobs, to keep up with soaring demand
Demand increased further through the cost-of-living crisis, with mash seen as an inexpensive and homely old favourite - costing as little as 90p from the supermarket giant.
A 425g pack, which provides two servings, is less than £1 from Tesco and provides a much faster alternative to making mash from scratch.
Mash bought from a supermarket typically contains potatoes, milk, butter, salt and white pepper, and can often be heated within minutes using a microwave.
Tesco said it has worked with Branston, one of the UK's largest potato suppliers, on new gourmet mash recipes and that Branston has opened a new mash factory.
The new facility, near Lincoln, has created 80 jobs to help meet the nation's appetite for the potato dish.
While Tesco said that regular mashed potato is by far its most popular variety, demand for sweet potato mash has rocketed by more than 100 percent in 2023 versus 2022.
A 425g pack, which provides two servings, is less than £1 from Tesco and provides a much faster alternative to making mash from scratch
The supermarket also offers cheddar mash, carrot and swede mash and root vegetable mash.
As office workers continue to return from lengthy periods of working from home, the demand for mash is expected to rise further.
Tesco prepared produce buying manager Alex Edwards said: 'Britain's millions of mash fans should be very excited by the news as our chefs have worked with Branston to excite existing recipes.
'What we're planning to do is to take the mash-eating experience to the next level and make it more of a gourmet food that you'd find in an upmarket restaurant.'
Branston has worked with Tesco food chefs to improve existing recipes, such as root veg mash where increases of parsnip, butter and seasoning aim to add a sweeter and fresher flavour with creaminess.
Branston chief executive Jim Windle said: 'We are proud and very excited to have brought the latest world-class food manufacturing technology alongside restaurant quality recipe design to uplift and elevate one of Britain's best-loved foods.
'Mash is one of Britain's favourite comfort foods that needed a 21st-century makeover to delight and inspire customers across the new range.'
